Grim Hollow: An Equestrian One Shot Quest

by Joe Toon

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dungeons and Dragons, Dark, Other, Horror
Length: 1128

Celestia, Luna and their group of adventurers are given a stern warning from a stranger in their journey to the dark lands of Etharis.

It is Nightmare Night and Celestia and Luna along with their party of adventurers rest in a tavern within this strange land. They are approached by a stranger of this uncharted realm and gives them a warning of what they are up against.

Published 2022-10-30 12:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-10-30 12:10:01 UTC

Welcome to Etharis

Greetings Adventurers. Or for your case: Hello Lady Celestia and Good Evening Lady Luna. Now, don’t act so surprised. You ex-rulers of Equestria are hard to miss, even from these parts. Quite the shock to you I see. I’m more surprised that you would dare venture to these lands beyond your realm; or should I say Twilight’s realm now?

But that doesn't matter now. You are here, in the lands where Harmony and Friendship are words for the naive and from the deceitful. You’ve come as ambassadors of goodwill and kindness but there is nothing you could offer us that many haven’t already tried and perished. These lands are riddled with disease, monsters, corrupt noblemen, murders and worse. I know you claim to steel yourselves to meet the challenge, you and your party of adventurers. But I assure you, nothing you’ve seen over your thousands of years of reign will prepare you within these lands.

“The Weeping Pox” from the once prosperous city of Leisich now spreads across the Bürach Empire with no success in containing it. As we speak, it spreads across these cursed lands as vengeance for the slain servant of the Filthgazer. You may attempt to search for the creation of your own cure, but should you attempt to, you will find out those that profit from them will make sure to impede your efforts as they offer their own cures for outrageous prices; most more nefarious than gold or silver.

You may have come here to stop the wars that ravaged across the lands of Ostenburg to Morencia. Your attempts to broker peace will be in vain as many of the nobles stabilise their positions to higher seats of power from the wars, all while murdering all who would pose even a modicum of a threat. All the while the common folk fail to act upon these threats. They, like most who share your blind faith for all the goodness in the world from their false idols, cling to it like helpless children to their frail mothers. And it is through this faith that helps them turn away from the acts of atrocities they and many others commit for the sake of self preservation.

As for the so-called Gods whom the people pray for for protection, our once great pillars of justice, morality, guidance and prosperity? They have left us. They have left us to fend for ourselves. They left us, abandoned us. Severed themselves from our cruel and twisted ways; forcing many to seek for darker powers for the measliest of promises for survival. You may attempt to become the heralds for their return, or even take their place considering your previous position of power. But you will find out swiftly that such declarations will bring your demise sooner than you’d expect by the powers in control.

Which brings us all to you; the brave, the bold and the righteous. You are not the first, and neither the last who would seek to change this world for the better. There were fewer then when the darkness claimed these lands, and they’ve become even fewer now as each moon rises over the cold lightless sky. For you see… These lands; this world belongs to the darkness, and they will sacrifice all to ensure that it remains theirs. You will find that they will not give it up so easily.

So, do you seek to heal these lands, stop their wars, bring back their Gods or cleanse it from the dark powers that be? Hmph. Try as you will, nothing will change. Nothing has changed here for centuries. The sun will rise in the morning and the poor will starve, the sick will perish and men will continue to butcher each other in the name of their Kings and Idols. And unlike you Equestrians, their nature is unchanged and will remain that way, unlike yourselves. These lands will change you, and they will change you for the worst.

Welcome to Etharis, we shall see if you survive. Mwahaha. BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

“Sunset Shimmer, is this introduction truly necessary?”

The unicorn looked over her Dungeon Master’s board to blankly stare at Luna. “Really, Princess? Can’t you at least try to get into the spirit of the game?”

“I agree, Luna,” added Celestia with a nod, “I was just getting into the atmosphere til you had to ruin it.”

Luna pouted in irritation. “I’m not trying to ruin it, sister. I’m just trying to be considerate to our younger players here.” She pointed to the Cutie Mark Crusaders who were also at the table.

“I-it’s fine, Luna,” said Scootaloo, trying her best to hide her clearly seen fear, “I’m okay with the creepy introduction.” Despite how scary it is.

“Absolutely, this intro is great!” exclaimed Sweetie Bell, grinning excitedly at Sunset’s theme for Nightmare Night’s Game, “The suspense, the atmosphere, the weird creatures I’ve never even heard of. Not to mention playing with the two ex-princesses in a world full of creepy monsters and crazies. It’s awesome!”

“N-no kiddin’,” Apple Bloom shuddered, taken aback by her unicorn friend’s enthusiasm for the game’s setting, “When Spike told us that this wasn’t an Ogres and Oubliettes game, he wasn’t kiddin’. This here’s mighty intense.” Maybe a little too intense.

“That’s what I mean,” protested Luna, “That introduction was too intense! I’m all for thrills and excitement but not doom and gloom warnings of eldritch horrors!”

“Princess Luna,” Sunset glumly frowned at the midnight alicorn, “this game was supposed to be horror. It’s in the title; Grim Hollow. What were you expecting it to be?”

“I was expecting it to be a simple dungeon crawl like Gargoyl’s Gates or The Tomb of Eradication. Not this!”

“Wait, was that why you invited us?” Sweetie Bell asked.

“I invited you three because you were the only experienced players that I know of that were available,” answered Luna, somewhat avoiding looking any in the eye.

“Luna,” Celestia eyed her sister suspiciously with a small smirk, “Are you scared?”

The Night alicorn became flustered. “N-no! I am not, Tia! I was the Princess of the Night, why should I be scared of horrors and monsters that roam under the moon’s sky?”

Sunset sighed, “Oh well, if that’s the case, let’s just go with Humblewood. I’m sure that’ll be more your speed.”

Author's Note

Hehehe, got you lot there, didn't I? (Please forgive me)

I just wanted to write something light hearted for this grim season of screams while shamelessly using my introduction to the game I'm DMing for my party tonight.

I hope you guys got a kick out of it, or call me out for being a hack (which is fine 'cause I probably deserve it).

Happy Halloween.